Jonathon talked about how dial in your vocal sound, which mic is a great choice for most vocalists, and how to stack huge harmonies. He also shared many great tips about recording vocals in the studio whether recording yourself or working with another singer.

My guest today is Jonathon Jircitano, a vocalist and songwriter who started playing in rock bands at the age of 12. After fronting bands for over six years, he decided to start performing solo after inspiration sparked working with former Cage The Elephant member Lincoln Parish.

Jonathon spent time living and writing in Los Angeles, focusing on creating his sound, with influences from artists such as Imagine Dragons, Phantogram and Imogen Heap. Having recently moved back to Nashville, Jonathon’s upcoming debut will merge genres in alternative and pop, with hints of blues, electronic, and his permanent roots of rock.

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Yoli talked about managing the analog centric studio Welcome To 1979 and vinyl mastering and pressing businesses, creating promotional events grow a studio's network, hiring the very best staff, smart social media and email strategies, and hosting Jason Isbell for their annual live to disc party, plus lots of other cool stuff!

My guest today is Yoli Mara who along with her husband Chris Mara, manages the Nashville analog focused recording studio, Welcome To 1979. Located in what used to be a thriving record pressing plant in The Nations area of Nashville, Welcome to 1979 is a spacious recording studio that specializes in analog recording at a time when most studios are 100% digital.

Yoli also helps to manage three other businesses there: the successful tape machine restoration business, Mara Machines shipping and restoring tape machines worldwide , a vinyl mastering and lacquer cutting service operated by Cameron Henry, and a newly added electroplating facility allowing you to expedite the vinyl pressing process for your next record release with impressively fast turn around results.

Welcome to 1979 has an impressive client list that include: Pete Townshend, Third Man Records, Jason Isbell, Lady Antebellum, Reid Shippen, Margo Price, Rodney Crowell, Pam Tillis, Chris Stapleton, John Prine, and Luther Dickinson. And that's just reading the first 11 names or so off the website!

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My guest today is Charles Holloman, Audio Engineer, Producer, Musician, Songwriter and Studio Owner in Muscle Shoals, AL. Originally from Atlanta, GA graduating from Georgia State University with a recording degree he migrated to Charlotte, NC, where he operated Charles Holloman Productions (chpaudio) for over 20 years. From his studio, he recorded everything from Anthony Hamilton, Fantasia and Benji Hughes, to dialog replacement for The Simpsons, music cuts for shows like East Bound & Down, on hold messages for pharmacies and Jingles for Car Dealers and Hooters.

He’s currently operating the reopened East Avalon Recorders and renovating Widget Studio. As well as working on several projects with Rodney Hall at Fame Studios, the place that inspired him to take the journey in the first place. He’s a board member of the Muscle Shoals Music Association, and a self-described Ambassador of Everything Muscle Shoals, with a passion for preserving its history, but more importantly focusing on Muscle Shoals Now, and creating its future.

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My guest today is Smith Curry, a session player primarily on pedal steel and slide guitar who also has toured with acts ranging from uber-star Kid Rock to British synth/pop stars Erasure. As a Session Player over the past two decades Smith has worked as a Sideman with over 100 major-label Country artists such as Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, and Randy Travis and his credits include CMA, ASCAP and ACM songs of the year.  His playing can be heard on Randy Travis's #1 "Three Wooden Crosses", Jason Aldean's #1 hit "Why", and Billy Currington's #1 “Good Directions” among many others. And he has played major-label master sessions for legendary producers like Paul Worley, James Stroud, Don Cook, Blake Chancey, Kyle Lehning, Chuck Howard, and Ron Chancey.

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My guest today is Tim Easton, artist, musician, songwriter, and troubadour originally from Akron Ohio before starting his musical journey traveling Europe busking the streets of London, Paris, Spain, Italy, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Ireland for seven years.

Tim has since had a long career of songwriting, collaborating, and record making that includes his band the Haynes Boys in the 90s, followed by two decades of solo records recording and toured with the likes of members of Wilco, The Jayhawks, Lucinda Williams, Tift Merritt, Mike Campbell, Jim Keltner, Kenny Vaughan, John Hiatt, and many more.

He has been signed to EMI publishing, and New West Records, and Thirty Tigers, and even started his own record label, Campfire Propaganda. He continues to make records and make it happen through crowdfunding when appropriate.

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My guest today is Daniel Tashian is a Gammy nominated producer, musician, and song writerwho started early in his career with a deal at Elektra Records at 19 years old. He grew up in a musical family. Daniel’s father opened for the Beatles at Shea Stadium. Daniel did a record with T-Bone Burnett but it did not get traction. After his deal ended, Daniel went back to art school to study photography, but soon he was back into music again and started various musical projects:

• He played guitar on Patty Griffin's album "Flaming Red"
• He had an alt rock band called "The Umbrellas" that was very influenced by the Soft Boys. 
• He then started a band called The Silver Seas with Jason Lehning (episode 74) in 1999. Their second album did well in the U.K. including a gig on the Jules Holland Show. 
• Daniel had his first #1 Country song with “Hometown Girl” by Josh Turner co-written with Marc Beeson
• Daniel co-produced Kacey Musgrave’s critically acclaimed and CMA and Grammy nominated album Golden Hour & also co-wrote 7 of the album’s 13 songs.

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My guest today is Michael Estok, a producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter born in Youngstown, OH. Starting with school at the Recording Workshop, and then Full Sail University. In 2004, Michael moved to Nashville, TN for an internship at Sony/ATV Tree studios, and worked under the watch of music industry legend, Pat Mcmakin.

During the 14 years he spent in Nashville, Michael worked as an independent producer out of his home studio, and eventually returned to Sony/ATV when his client, Nashville based pop artist, Kynlie, was signed. Estok continued to work with Sony, producing for Sony’s Artist development team under the watch of Troy Tomlinson, Ed Williams, and Abbey Adams.  He also co-wrote and produced countless songs for artists such as Wesley Orbison, Lionel Cartwright, Tiffany Johnson, and Jon Raven.

In 2017, Michael and his family decided to leave Nashville, and return to Canfield in Northeast Ohio, where he built Court Street Recording inside the National Historic Charles Ruggles House (circa 1846). Court Street has worked with local musicians including the Vindys, and Anthony LaMarca (from The War On Drugs, The Building), all while continuing to work long distance with pop artist, Aaron B. Thompson (from Vancouver Island), and various Nashville artists, producers, and songwriters. He is excited to bring his experience back to Ohio, where he hopes to elevate the local music scene and help local independent artists make great recordings.

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My guest today is Brian Charles, a producer, engineer, and now plugin designer from Boston Massachusetts. Brian’s studio (Zippah) has become a renowned destination for indie rock bands from New England and around the world.

As the producer/guitarist in the late 90’s band “The Sheila Divine” Brian still tours Europe and makes records with the group and continues to grow his network of younger bands to make records with.

Brian’s credits span 30 years of record making, from the punk band  “The Vatican Commandos” (fronted by a young Moby) in the 80’s. To the indie guitar pop of the 90’s from bands like The Gigolo Aunts, Dirt Merchants and The Figgs to the present day with artists like Mike Slap and power trio “Weakened Friends”.

Embracing the idea that to create a successful life in music these days, you have to do everything you know how to do...with a passion, Brian also created a plug-in company (Rare Signals) with a few of his musician friends, and they recently released their first plug-in, called the “Transatlantic Plate Reverb”, which really sounds fantastic.

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My guest today is Tim Lauer, a Nashville based composer, producer, songwriter, and musician. He recently completed his second season as Executive Music Producer for the television show Nashville. He produced over 125 cast recordings for the Nashville show and was also EMP for Greenleaf Season 1 and wrote and produced the main title song performed by Mavis Staples.

Tim is an Emmy-nominated writer whose songs have been featured in advertisements for BMW, Target, L'Oreal, Coke and Microsoft and well as tv shows One Tree Hill, Drop Dead Diva, Hung, The White Queen, Homeland, Teen Wolf, Pretty Little Liars and Cougar Town.  

He has played on over 300 major label albums, recording with a wide variety of artists including Robert Plant, Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars, Chris Cornell, Keith Urban, Rodney Crowell, Dolly Parton, Sheryl Crow, Megadeth, and Joan Baez.

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Vance talked about recording drums with Clutch, guitars with Chris Stapleton, his favorite UA plugins, and how to create your best mixing template in Pro tools.

My guest today is Vance Powell, a six-time Grammy award winning producer, engineer and mixer, whose impressive list of credits includes Chris Stapleton, Elle King, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather, The White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, Seasick Steve, Black Prairie, Tinariwen, and Jeff The Brotherhood, among many others.

Powell recently won two Grammy awards in 2018 for mixing and engineering Chris Stapleton's From A Room: Volume 1 (Best Country Album), and mixing and engineering various songs on CeCe Winans' Let Them Fall In Love ('Best Gospel Album'). He was also nominated for mixing Robert Randolph & The Family Band's Got Soul ('Best Contemporary Blues Album').

Today we are going to dive right into the topic of producing, recording, and mixing. And I’ll ask some questions about recent productions for Vance over at his private studio Sputnik Sound which he shares with Mitch Dane.

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